As electrification continues to grow, the need to remove and replace battery packs is becoming more common. This puts new demands on workshops to diagnose, handle, and store lithium-ion batteries in a safe way before they can be reused or sent for recycling.

The purpose of this project is to review how the Automaker currently diagnoses traction batteries, and to see if there are better or safer ways to do it. The report also looks at how the batteries are handled and stored in the workshop, and whether current routines can be improved. Existing regulations and recommendations were also reviewed to understand what rules apply today.

The project was carried out through site visits, interviews with staff, and research from academic and industry sources. Based on this, several concrete suggestions have been made, such as the implementation of AI in diagnosing the battery, recommendations on a clear structure for how to classify and handle batteries using the green, yellow and red system, and tracking battery status digitally. We also give recommendations on what a storage area should include such as fire protection systems like water mist or saltwater in case of a thermal runaway.

Finally, we point out that there are no clear rules today for how traction batteries should be stored in workshops.

The report also shows that there are currently no clear rules for how much battery energy can be stored in one place, which makes it difficult to apply consistent safety standards.

The recommendations in this report aim to make work safer and more structured and may help guide future improvements.